It's time to vote for the Barry Awards. Please e-mail me with your choices at george@deadlypleasures.com

Deadline: September 14, 2010

BARRY AWARD NOMINATIONS 2010

BEST NOVEL
John Connolly, THE GATES, Atria
David Ellis, THE HIDDEN MAN, Putnam
Joe Gores, SPADE & ARCHER, Knopf
John Hart, THE LAST CHILD, Minotaur
Marcia Muller, LOCKED IN, Grand Central
S.J. Rozan, SHANGHAI MOON, Minotaur

BEST FIRST NOVEL
Josh Bazell, BEAT THE REAPER, Little, Brown
Alan Bradley, THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE, Delacorte
Rebecca Cantrell, A TRACE OF SMOKE, Forge
Sophie Littlefield, A BAD DAY FOR SORRY, Minotaur
Attica Locke, BLACK WATER RISING, Harper
Stuart Neville, THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST (THE TWELVE), Soho Crime

BEST BRITISH NOVEL
S. J. Bolton, AWAKENING, Bantam Press
John Connolly, THE LOVERS, HodderStoughton
Reginald Hill, MIDNIGHT FUGUE, HarperCollins
Philip Kerr, IF THE DEAD NOT RISE, Quercus
Denise Mina, STILL MIDNIGHT, Orion
Robert Wilson, IGNORANCE OF BLOOD, HarperCollins

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
Megan Abbott, BURY ME DEEP, Simon & Schuster
Max Allan Collins, QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE, HardCase Crime
Bryan Gruley, STARVATION LAKE, Touchstone
Heather Gutenkauf, THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE, Mira
Frank Tallis, FATAL LIES, Random House Mortalis
L. C. Tyler, THE HERRING-SELLER’S APPRENTICE, Felony & Mayhem

BEST THRILLER
Tom Cain, NO SURVIVORS (THE SURVIVOR), Viking
Jamie Freveletti, RUNNING FROM THE DEVIL, Morrow
Mark Greaney, THE GRAY MAN, Jove
Derek Haas, COLUMBUS: a Silver Bear Thriller, Pegasus
Mike Lawson, HOUSE SECRETS, Atlantic Monthly
Greg Rucka, WALKING DEAD, Bantam

MYSTERY/CRIME NOVEL OF THE DECADE
Ken Bruen, THE GUARDS, St. Martin’s Minotaur
Michael Connelly, THE LINCOLN LAWYER, Little, Brown
Stieg Larsson, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, Knopf
Dennis Lehane, MYSTIC RIVER, Morrow
Louise Penny, STILL LIFE, St. Martin’s Minotaur
Carlos Ruiz Zafon, THE SHADOW OF THE WIND, Penguin Press

BEST SHORT STORY
Barbara Callahan, "My Mother's Keeper" (EQMM June 2009)
David Dean, "Erin's Journal" (EQMM December 2009)
John H. Dirckx, "Real Men Die" (AHMM September 2009)
Brendan DuBois, "The High House Writer" (AHMM July-August 2009)
Melodie Johnson Howe, "A Hollywood Ending" (EQMM July 2009)
Morley Swingle, "Hard Blows" (THE PROSECUTION RESTS )

Some big-time writers have cancelled their Bouchercon attendance: John Harvey, Lawrence Block and Peter James. A recent sign-up who I'm anxious to meet is William Dietrich.

August 18, 2010

DP #62 is at the printer. Hope to mail Monday. Wheww!

Once again, I had trouble getting copies of the next Reviewed to Death title. They didn't come when promised and I had to call and e-mail to get them -- two weeks late. So contributors -- be aware that they are on the way to you now. I've extended the deadline to get the review back to me to October 1.

August 18, 2010

When I opened this week's issue of Newsweek, I found an unlikely defender of the mystery/thriller novel against literary snobs -- Jon Meacham, Editor of Newsweek. In his Editorial entitled, "Mysteries, Thrillers, And The Verities of the Heart," Mecham even attempts to distinguish between mysteries and thrillers: "Mysteries and thrillers are not the same things, though they are literary siblings. Roughly put, I would say the distinction is that mysteries emphasize motive and psychology, whereas thrillers rely more on action and plot. Some mysteries are thrillers and some thrillers are mysteries, but not all mysteries are thrillers and not all thrillers are mysteries."

His list of recommendations:

Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe

P.D. James

Denise Mina (a recommendation of Anna Quindlen)

Benjamin Black (John Banville)

Tana French

Henning Mankell

Arnaldur Indridason

Daniel Silva

David Ignatius

Charles McCarry

Alex Berenson

Lee Child

On the last page of the issue there is a very interesting comparison of books vs e-books.

August 7, 2010

There is a lot of talk about the mega-chain Barnes & Noble being sold. In reading a news clip about it, I learned that its founder, Mr. Riggio, owns about 30% of the company. He is looking into forming an investment group to buy a controlling interest in the company. Billionaire Ronald Burkle owns about 18% of the company. He has said that he is not interested in buying the company, but some doubt it.

To me this looks more like a re-arranging of ownership than a panic sale. Since B&N is the only store in town for me, I hope they stay in business. I don't buy a lot there but I look alot and do research for the magazine there. August 7, 2010

2010 CWA Gold Dagger Award Nominations

CONMAN, Richard Asplin (No Exit Press)
BLACKLANDS, Belinda Bauer (Corgi)
BLOOD HARVEST, S J Bolton (Bantam Press)
RAIN GODS, James Lee Burke (Orion)
SHADOWPLAY, Karen Campbell (Hodder & Stoughton)
THE STRANGE CASE OF THE COMPOSER AND HIS JUDGE, Patricia Duncker (Bloomsbury)
STILL MIDNIGHT, Denise Mina (Orion)
THE WAY HOME, George Pelecanos (Orion)

2010 CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Nominations

ACTS OF VIOLENCE, Ryan David Jahn (Pan)
CUT SHORT, Leigh Russell (No Exit Press)
MARTYR, Rory Clements (John Murray)
RANDOM, Craig Robertson (Simon & Schuster)
STOP ME, Richard Jay Parker (Allison & Busby)
RUPTURE, Simon Lelic (Picador)
THE HOLY THIEF, William Ryan (Mantle )
THE PULL OF THE MOON, Diane Janes (Robinson)

What happened to the good ol' days of five or six books per short list? Larry Gandle who usually reads and reviews the CWA Award nominations for DP looked at these lists and freaked out. As of now he doesn't plan to read the short lists. Too many books to get through in a short time.

July 29, 2010

2010 Theakstons Old Peculier Award goes to.....

A SIMPLE ACT OF VIOLENCE (Orion) - RJ Ellory

Congratulations to my good friend Roger, the classiest guy in mystery/crime fiction -- also a mighty fine writer.

In The Dark (Little, Brown) – Mark Billingham
The Surrogate (Little, Brown) – Tania Carver (Martyn Waites and wife)
The Crossing Places (Quercus) – Elly Griffiths
Dead Tomorrow (Pan) – Peter James
Gallows Lane (Macmillan) – Brian McGilloway
Doors Open (Orion)– Ian Rankin
Child 44 (Simon & Schuster) – Tom Rob Smith

Some of these books seem older than 2009 and the explanation is that this award looks at books published in paperback editions in 2009. July 29, 2010

Here are my favorite books of 2010 so far:

THE WOODCUTTER by Reginald Hill

THIRTEEN HOURS by Deon Meyer

THE REVERSAL by Michael Connelly

RED STAR RISING by Brian Freemantle

I'd be very interesting in hearing what your favorites of 2010 are. Please email me at george@deadlypleasures.com

July 29, 2010

I'm hard at work laying out DP 62. Excuse the delay. With my son going into the Marines I had a very hard time concentrating. But I'm back in form now.

Next Reviewed to Death: Greg Rucka's THE LAST RUN (Queen & Country). Will get the arcs early next week and send them out.

The following Reviewed to Death: Andrew Taylor's ANATOMY OF GHOSTS.

I always ask DP readers to read along with us, but never get any feedback as to if they do. If you do read either of these two books when they come out, let me know. July 29, 2010

I've now gotten the last Barry nominated short story posted.

Barbara Callahan, "My Mother's Keeper" (EQMM June 2009)
David Dean, "Erin's Journal" (EQMM December 2009)
John H. Dirckx, "Real Men Die" (AHMM September 2009)
Brendan DuBois, "The High House Writer" (AHMM July-August 2009)
Melodie Johnson Howe, "A Hollywood Ending" (EQMM July 2009)
Morley Swingle, "Hard Blows" (THE PROSECUTION RESTS )

There are some really good stories here. I highly recommend you take the time to read at least a few of them. I just finished the Brendan DuBois one which was a sheer delight. If you have a smartphone and get caught in a long line, read one of them while you are waiting. July 29, 2010

Personal Note: there's a lot going on with my family right now. Particularly with my 19-year-old son Jordan. A couple of months ago he signed up to be a Marine and because of the backlog of recruits right now he was scheduled to go to boot camp (Camp Pendleton) in October of this year. About a week ago two big things happened.

Jordan got engaged to his girlfriend Ali (no relation to Prince Ali Karim of mystery fandom fame) and he got a chance to go early to bootcamp. He leaves for boot camp on Monday the 19th of July. Boot camp is 13 weeks and parents are expected to attend a parent's day on Thursday and the graduation on Friday. If he leaves next Monday (which looks pretty certain right now) then his graduation will be the Friday of Bouchercon and the wedding the following week. I know that his graduation is much more important than Bouchercon but can't help being frustrated by the apparent timing conflict. True mystery fans will understand and be sympathetic. As of right now it looks like I'll arrive at Bouchercon around 4:30 on Friday.

I haven't been able to concentrate on anything this last week (lots of family get-togethers to say goodbye to Jordan), meeting Ali's parents, etc. So it looks like this upcoming issue of DP will be a little late. July 12, 2010

Thanks to Dell Publications I am able to post five of the short stories nominated for this year's Short Story Barry Award. Just click on the titles below to read the stories:

Barbara Callahan, "My Mother's Keeper" (EQMM June 2009)
David Dean, "Erin's Journal" (EQMM December 2009)
John H. Dirckx, "Real Men Die" (AHMM September 2009)
Brendan DuBois, "The High House Writer" (AHMM July-August 2009)
Melodie Johnson Howe, "A Hollywood Ending" (EQMM July 2009)
Morley Swingle, "Hard Blows" (THE PROSECUTION RESTS )

July 12, 2010

This from our current cover "boy" Deon Meyer:

I have to tell you about my mother.

I know, I know, it’s not the kind of blog subject you’ll expect from a South African crime author, but bear with me, it should all make sense in the end.

My mother. Eighty years old, sharp as a tack, still fiercely independent in her own apartment, a stone’s throw from the Milnerton beach near Cape Town. Every time I publish a new book, I duly deliver one to her, and then the ritual starts. Nowadays, it takes about two weeks before the call comes.

“Hello, my child,” she says.

I’m fifty-one years old, but I’m still ‘my child’.

“Hi, mom.” Bright and breezy, with feigned surprise, even though I know what’s coming. Long silence.

I wait.

Finally, with that exasperated tone of the failed parent: “I did not raise you like that.”

“I know, mom.”

“Where did you learn those words? Not from me, that’s for sure.”

“Of course not, mom.”

“What are my friends going to think? Did you consider that?”

“I’m sorry, mom …”

And when I finally and gently put down the receiver twenty apologetic minutes later, I wonder if I’m the only one. Did Connelly and Child, Barclay and Blunt, Rankin and Mankell get similar calls? Did they feel as guilty?

I mean, I’m fifty-one, for goodness sake.

July 1, 2010

Remember an author by the name of Jack Kerley? His first three books (THE HUNDREDTH MAN, THE DEATH COLLECTORS and A GARDEN OF VIPERS -- all in the Carson Ryder series) were published between 2004-2006 to some critical acclaim. Then he seemed to have dropped off the scene. I just assumed that he had lost his contract and had stopped writing. Not so. He's just not published here in the U.S. There are four more novels in the Carson Ryder series, published in the U.K. under the name, J.A. Kerley.

BLOOD BROTHER (2008)

IN THE BLOOD (2009)

LITTLE GIRL LOST (2010)

BURIED ALIVE (2010). HarperCollins, 6.99. Plot: Soon after witnessing the escape of violent psychopath Bobby Crayline from prison, Alabaman detective Carson Ryder takes a rare break in the mountains. But his vacation is interrupted when an anonymous phone call summons him to the scene of a grisly murder.

With more savage killings, and the heavy-handed FBI only inflaming the situation, Ryder and local detective Donna Cherry sift through the increasingly bizarre clues. Is there more than one killer on the loose? And how does Carson’s clinically insane brother, Jeremy, now on the run, fit into the picture?

It is down to Ryder to unearth horrors from the past that others believe should remain buried…

June 14, 2010

There are always critics no matter how hard we try -- because when it comes to tastes and likes and dislikes we all differ. In choosing people for the Barry Award committees the only common denominator is that we all love mystery/crime fiction. But it is always a surprise to me when we come up with the final lists of nominees because the committee as a whole doesn't think like I do as an individual. Take for example the Barry Award nominations for Best Mystery/Crime Novel of the Decade. Someone called "kathy d." wrote regarding the Barry Award nominations on a blog called Lisa's Book critiques (http://lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com/2010/06/barry-award-nominees.html) "I have actually read some of these myself and they are good books. But in the mystery of the decade, I think several heavy-hitters are absent." Think about it, a whole decade of mystery/crime novels condensed down to a mere six titles. Of course, any reader of mystery fiction will think that some "heavy hitters" have been left off. "How dare they leave off such and such title -- that was my favorite."

I don't do this with other Barry Award nominations, but with the Best of the Decade, here are the titles on our long list that didn't make the cut:

Reginald Hill, DIALOGUES OF THE DEAD

Lee Child, ONE SHOT

Jasper Fforde, THE EYRE AFFAIR

Arnaldur Indridason, JAR CITY

Joe Lansdale, THE BOTTOMS

Laura Lippman, EVERY SECRET THING

Thomas H. Cook, RED LEAVES

Alexander McCall Smith, THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY

That would have made a pretty good list of Best of the Decade as well. If I had been choosing the list all by myself I know that the Reg Hill would be at the top of my list. I would also have included the Fforde and the Indridason. But that is why we do it by committee -- to get some concensus. June 11, 2010

Anyone who is a subscriber or a reader of Deadly Pleasures can vote for the Barry Awards. You can do it right now by e-mailing your choices to me at george@deadlypleasures.com or you can wait for the next issue to arrive and use the ballot enclosed therein and send it via mail or fax. 6/11/2010

Here are the Barry Award Nominations – finally. Please read through to the bottom as I have made a number of comments regarding them and the future nominating process.

BARRY AWARD NOMINATIONS 2010

BEST NOVEL
John Connolly, THE GATES, Atria
David Ellis, THE HIDDEN MAN, Putnam
Joe Gores, SPADE & ARCHER, Knopf
John Hart, THE LAST CHILD, Minotaur
Marcia Muller, LOCKED IN, Grand Central
S.J. Rozan, SHANGHAI MOON, Minotaur

BEST FIRST NOVEL
Josh Bazell, BEAT THE REAPER, Little, Brown
Alan Bradley, THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE, Delacorte
Rebecca Cantrell, A TRACE OF SMOKE, Forge
Sophie Littlefield, A BAD DAY FOR SORRY, Minotaur
Attica Locke, BLACK WATER RISING, Harper
Stuart Neville, THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST (THE TWELVE), Soho Crime

BEST BRITISH NOVEL
S. J. Bolton, AWAKENING, Bantam Press
John Connolly, THE LOVERS, HodderStoughton
Reginald Hill, MIDNIGHT FUGUE, HarperCollins
Philip Kerr, IF THE DEAD NOT RISE, Quercus
Denise Mina, STILL MIDNIGHT, Orion
Robert Wilson, IGNORANCE OF BLOOD, HarperCollins

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
Megan Abbott, BURY ME DEEP, Simon & Schuster
Max Allan Collins, QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE, HardCase Crime
Bryan Gruley, STARVATION LAKE, Touchstone
Heather Gutenkauf, THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE, Mira
Frank Tallis, FATAL LIES, Random House Mortalis
L. C. Tyler, THE HERRING-SELLER’S APPRENTICE, Felony & Mayhem

BEST THRILLER
Tom Cain, NO SURVIVORS (THE SURVIVOR), Viking
Jamie Freveletti, RUNNING FROM THE DEVIL, Morrow
Mark Greaney, THE GRAY MAN, Jove
Derek Haas, COLUMBUS: a Silver Bear Thriller, Pegasus
Mike Lawson, HOUSE SECRETS, Atlantic Monthly
Greg Rucka, WALKING DEAD, Bantam

MYSTERY/CRIME NOVEL OF THE DECADE
Ken Bruen, THE GUARDS, St. Martin’s Minotaur
Michael Connelly, THE LINCOLN LAWYER, Little, Brown
Stieg Larsson, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, Knopf
Dennis Lehane, MYSTIC RIVER, Morrow
Louise Penny, STILL LIFE, St. Martin’s Minotaur
Carlos Ruiz Zafon, THE SHADOW OF THE WIND, Penguin Press

BEST SHORT STORY
Barbara Callahan, "My Mother's Keeper" (EQMM June 2009)
David Dean, "Erin's Journal" (EQMM December 2009)
John H. Dirckx, "Real Men Die" (AHMM September 2009)
Brendan DuBois, "The High House Writer" (AHMM July-August 2009)
Melodie Johnson Howe, "A Hollywood Ending" (EQMM July 2009)
Morley Swingle, "Hard Blows" (THE PROSECUTION RESTS )

Comments:
1. Good lists due to contributions of committees. Thanks to all for another year of great work.
2. I think that the Best First and Best Thriller lists are the strongest I’ve seen in quite some time.
As far as the Thriller list goes, the committee had a clear favorite (although I liked – and liked quite a bit – several of the other books on the list) and that was the paperback original THE GRAY MAN by Mark Greaney. If you like thrillers, with lots of action, you should pick up a copy. I’m not lobbying for this to win because the other books on the list are very deserving, but to alert you to a very good read.
3. It seems to me (I’ve not gone back to check) that female mystery writers are better represented on the lists this year than in years past.
4. Most of the short story authors are relative unknowns so I’m going to try and get permission to post the stories on the website so we can read them before voting. I haven’t done this for a few years.
5. Each year there are always some books that I really like that don’t make the cut, but I’m getting used to that. This year it was RIZZO’S WAR, which I seemed to like more than anyone on the committee (chalk that down to my New York roots). Also it was hard to cut Reginald Hill’s DIALOGUES OF THE DEAD from the best book of the decade list. It’s a monumental work in my eyes. But that’s why we have committees so that we come to a consensus of opinion.
6. It is my fault that we got these nominations out so late this year. I usually try to beat the Anthony and Macavity Awards so that we don’t look like we are copying anyone if there are similarities. Barbara Peters has made a suggestion that I’ve been mulling over for the last couple of weeks and I think I’ll try it to see how it works next year. That is to be the first to announce nominations in 2010, even beating the Edgar Award nominations. That would mean that we would have to get started in January, 2011. That would also require the committee members to pay closer attention to their reading and to the general buzz about books during 2010 – perhaps even keeping a running list of suggested titles for awards as we go along. And in keeping with that, I’m planning to do a cover article for the last issue of this year (Deadline: 12/1/2010), one just like we did two years ago in issue 56 where DP contributors recommend their favorite books of 2010 and 2009, an old favorite, and a guilty pleasure. I’m inviting all Barry Award nominating committee members to participate as well as all DP staff reviewers. 7. I want to thank Maggie Mason for all the help in tallying votes and finalizing the nominations. It was a great help and much appreciated. She’s volunteered to do it again next year.
8. Hope to see many of you at Bouchercon.

June 10, 2010

MACAVITY AWARD NOMINATIONS 2010

June 9, 2010

ANTHONY AWARD NOMINATIONS

The 2010 Anthony Awards will be presented at the San Francisco Bouchercon's
Sunday Brunch, October 17. The nominees are:

BEST NOVEL

THE LAST CHILD, John Hart
THE MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH, Charlie Huston
THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, Stieg Larsson/trans. Reg Keeland
THE BRUTAL TELLING, Louise Penny
THE SHANGHAI MOON, S.J. Rozan

BEST FIRST NOVEL

THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE, Alan Bradley
STARVATION LAKE, Bryan Gruley
A BAD DAY FOR SORRY, Sophie Littlefield
THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST, Stuart Neville
IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM, Stefanie Pintoff

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL

BURY ME DEEP, Megan Abbott
TOWER, Ken Bruen and Reed Farrel Coleman
QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE, Max Allan Collins
STARVATION LAKE, Bryan Gruley
DEATH AND THE LIT CHICK, G.M. Malliet
AIR TIME, Hank Phillippi Ryan

BEST SHORT STORY

"Last Fair Deal Gone Down", Ace Atkins
"Femme Sole", Dana Cameron
"Animal Rescue", Dennis Lehane
"On the House", Hank Phillippi Ryan
"Amapola", Luis Alberto Urrea

BEST CRITICAL NONFICTION WORK

TALKING ABOUT DETECTIVE FICTION, P.D. James
THE LINE UP, Otto Penzler, ed.
HAUNTED HEART, Lisa Rogak
DAME AGATHA'S SHORTS, Elena Santangelo
THE TALENTED MISS HIGHSMITH, Joan Schenkar
June 4, 2010

A couple of news items:

Jeffrey Deaver has signed a contract to write the next James Bond novel.

Henning Mankell was on the flotilla of humanitarian aid for Gaza that was intercepted by Israeli forces, resulting in some deaths. It is thought that Henning Mankell was not killed in the action, but confirmation of that has not yet been forthcoming. (He is safe.) June 1, 2010

Interest in Bouchercon 2010 (San Francisco, October 14-17) is starting to heat up. The convention's list of attendees is being updated every week and the list of authors is getting more and more interesting and impressive. The latest addition is Kate Atkinson who graced our cover on issue 56 (WHEN WILL THERE BE GOOD NEWS?). Here are some of the attendees from the U.K. and Ireland: Kate Atkinson, Mark Billingham, Lindsey Davis, Carola Dunn, Andrew Grant, John Harvey, Lauren Henderson, David Hewson, Denise Mina, Stuart Neville, Rebecca Tope, Matt Hilton and Martyn Waites. I would include Lee Child in that group but somehow I think of him as American now.

Other key attendees are Donna Andrews, David Baldacci, James R. Benn, Brett Battles, Cara Black, Rhys Bowen, Robert Crais, Bill Crider, David Ellis, Meg Gardiner, Chris Grabenstein, Parnell Hall, Steve Hamilton, Steve Hockensmith, Mike Lawson, Paul Levine, John Lutz, Lisa Lutz, Sara Paretsky, Ridley Pearson, Louise Penny, S.J. Rozan, Steven Saylor, Michael Stanley (both authors), John Shannon, Karin Slaughter, Ron Tierney and Jacqueline Winspear.

There are also a slew of first time authors (some who have their second books just coming out) such as Jaimie Freveletti, Sophie Littlefield, Stuart Neville, Derek Haas and Bryan Gruley. Also lots of cozy mystery writers. To look at the complete list go to http://www.bcon2010.com/attendees.php

I always get excited to meet authors I haven't met previously. This year that includes David Baldacci, Kate Atkinson and Derek Haas. It's also nice to connect with writers I haven't seen in many years such as Steven Saylor (trying right now to set up lunch with him) and Robert Crais. At the end of the Madison Bouchercon I shared a ride to the airport with Denise Mina that was totally delightful. I hope to spend a few minutes with her, but inasmuch as she's a guest of honor that may be difficult.

But of course, Bouchercon just wouldn't be the wonderful experience it is every year without spending time with great friends in the fan world. I hope that Ali Karim will be able to make it this year. His business is booming and he has been working around the clock. Perhaps by then he'll take a much deserved break. June 1, 2010

I've accumulated some British first editions that I want to sell:

All are first editions, first printings and are in near fine condition:

Lee Child, 61 HOURS (true first edition) $26.00

Simon Kernick, THE LAST 10 SECONDS -- no U.S. edition. $25.00

Stephen Leather, NIGHTFALL -- no U.S. edition $25.00

And a trade paperback of a book published only in the U.K. A Fry/Cooper investigation.

Stephen Booth, THE KILL CALL $10.00

If you are interested, please e-mail me: george@deadlypleasures.com. Postage will be at cost. May 25, 2010

Some CWA Awards
Nowadays the CWA Awards are announced in drips and drabs. Here is the first drip.
Comments: The International Dagger is especially strong with the Indridason, Larsson and Meyer novels. Hard choice.
The Theakston Award list is puzzling to me as it seems to include books that are more than a year old, such as CHILD 44. Don’t know what time frame they are using.

CWA International Dagger (for fiction in translation):

Tonino Benaquista, BADFELLAS
Andrea Camilleri, AUGUST HEAT
Arnaldur Indridason, HYPOTHERMIA
Stieg Larsson, THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNETS' NEST
Deon Meyer, THIRTEEN HOURS
Johan Theorin, THE DARKEST ROOM

CWA Dagger in the Library (given to an author for a body of work, chosen by librarians):

Simon Beckett
R.J. Ellory
Ariana Franklin
Mo Hayder
Denise Mina
Chris Simms

CWA Short Story Dagger:

Sean Chercover, "A Calculated Risk"
Jeffery Deaver, "The Weapon"
Robert Ferrigno, "Can You Help Me Out There"
Ridley Pearson, "Boldt’s Broken Angel"
Peter Robinson, "Like a Virgin"
Jon Land, "Killing Tim"
Simon Wood, "Protecting the Innocent"

The Daggers will be presented at the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, Yorkshire, on Friday, July 23. At the same time, the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year will be announced, and we congratulate the long list of nominees, announced last week. You can cast your own vote for the shortlist here: http://www.harrogate-festival.org.uk/crime/award/vote/
Mark Billingham, IN THE DARK
Duncan Campbell, IF IT BLEEDS
Tania Carver, THE SURROGATE
Martina Cole, THE BUSINESS
R.J. Ellory, A SIMPLE ACT OF VIOLENCE
Nicci French, UNTIL IT'S OVER
Elly Griffiths, THE CROSSING PLACES
John Harvey, COLD IN HAND
Mo Hayder, SKIN
Susan Hill, THE VOWS OF SILENCE
Declan Hughes, THE DYING BREED (U.S. title: ALL THE DEAD VOICES)
Peter James, DEAD TOMORROW
Simon Kernick, TARGET
Val McDermid, A DARKER DOMAIN
Brian McGilloway, GALLOWS LANE
Dreda Say Mitchell, GEEZER GIRLS
Caro Ramsay, SINGING TO THE DEAD
Ian Rankin, DOORS OPEN
Peter Robinson, ALL THE COLOURS OF DARKNESS
Tom Rob Smith, CHILD 44

May 25, 2010

I've just finished another wonderful reading experience. THE WOODCUTTER by Reginald Hill is a tour de force. Plot: From humble origins as a Cumbrian woodcutter's son, Wolf Hadda has risen to become a hugely successful entrepreneur, happily married to the girl of his dreams. A knock on the door one morning ends it all. Universally reviled, thrown into prison while protesting his innocence, abandoned by friends and family, Wolf retreats into silence. Seven years later prison psychiatrist Alva Ozigbo makes the breakthrough. Wolf begins to talk and under her guidance gets parole, returning to his rundown family home in rural Cumbria. But there is a mysterious period in Wolf's youth when he disappeared from home and was known to his employers as the Woodcutter. And now the Woodcutter is back, looking for the truth -- and with the truth, revenge.

I can't find any U.S. publication date for THE WOODCUTTER yet, but it will be available in the U.K. July 22nd. Now I have two favorites for 2010: THIRTEEN HOURS by Deon Meyer and THE WOODCUTTER by Reginald Hill. May 18, 2010

Trying to finish up DP #61. Other work and a nasty cold have interfered. I've decided on putting Deon Meyer on the cover. His new novel THIRTEEN HOURS is the best book I've read in 2010.

The next Reviewed to Death title is NOWHERE TO RUN by C.J. Box. Larry Gandle has already given me a oral review of it and he liked it a lot. It also got a starred review in each of the four library journals. If any of you wish, you may submit a review of it to me and I will consider printing it with the staff's reviews. April 30, 2010

It's Edgar Award time. Larry Gandle called from the Awards ceremony with the following:

EDGAR AWARD WINNERS

BEST NOVEL

THE LAST CHILD by John Hart (Minotaur Books) – Winner

THE MISSING by Tim Gautreaux (Random House - Alfred A. Knopf)
THE ODDS by Kathleen George (Minotaur Books)
MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH by Charlie Huston (Random House - Ballantine Books)
NEMESIS by Jo Nesbø, translated by Don Bartlett (HarperCollins)
A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO DIE by Malla Nunn (Simon & Schuster – Atria Books)

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR

IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM by Stefanie Pintoff (Minotaur Books) – Winner

THE GIRL SHE USED TO BE by David Cristofano (Grand Central Publishing)
STARVATION LAKE by Bryan Gruley (Simon & Schuster - Touchstone)
THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE by Heather Gudenkauf (MIRA Books)
A BAD DAY FOR SORRY by Sophie Littlefield (Minotaur Books – Thomas Dunne Books)
BLACK WATER RISING by Attica Locke (HarperCollins)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL

BODY BLOWS by Marc Strange (Dundurn Press – Castle Street Mysteries) – Winner

BURY ME DEEP by Megan Abbott (Simon & Schuster)
HAVANA LUNAR by Robert Arellano (Akashic Books)
THE LORD GOD BIRD by Russell Hill (Pleasure Boat Studio – Caravel Books)
THE HERRING-SELLER’S APPRENTICE by L.C. Tyler (Felony & Mayhem Press)

I'm very happy with the John Hart win. I think he's probably the best author to come along in a number of years. Each book a gem. Haven't read the other two winners so cannot comment, but Larry will in the upcoming issue of DP. Stay tuned. April 29, 2010

2010 Thriller Awards Nominees
International Thriller Writers announce the following nominations. Winners will be presented awards at this year’s ThrillerFest in New York City July 7-10, 2010

Best Hard Cover Novel:
VANISHED by Joseph Finder
LONG LOST by Harlan Coben
FEAR THE WORST by Linwood Barclay
THE NEIGHBOR by Lisa Gardner
THE RENEGADES by T. Jefferson Parker

Best Paperback Original:
SHADOW SEASON by Tom Piccirilli
URGE TO KILL by John Lutz
VENGEANCE ROAD by Rick Mofina
THE COLDEST MILE by Tom Piccirilli
NO MERCY by John Gilstrap

Best First Novel:
FRAGMENT by Warren Fahy
DEAD MEN'S DUST by Matt Hilton
COLLISION OF EVIL by John J. Le Beau
DRACULA: THE UN-DEAD by Dacre Stoker
RUNNING FROM THE DEVIL by Jamie Freveletti

Best Short Story:
THE DESERT HERE AND THE DESERT FAR AWAY by Marcus Sakey
A STAB IN THE HEART by Twist Phelan
AFTERSHOCK & OTHERS by F. Paul Wilson
ICED by Harry Hunsicker
BOLDT'S BROKEN ANGEL by Ridley Pearson

4/01/2010

There were four awards presented at the recent LeftCoast Crime convention in Los Angeles:

Dilys Award
(given out by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association to “the mystery title of the year which the member booksellers have most enjoyed selling”)

THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE by Alan Bradley (Delacorte)

A Quiet Belief in Angels by R.J. Ellory (Overlook)
The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson (Viking)
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larsson (Knopf)
The Ghosts of Belfast by Stuart Neville (Soho)
The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny (Minotaur)
The Shanghai Moon by S.J. Rozan (Minotaur)

The Lefty Award
(for a humorous mystery)

GETTING OLD IS A DISASTER by Rita Lakin (Dell)

Swan for the Money by Donna Andrews (Minotaur)
Living with Your Kids Is Murder by Mike Befeler (Five Star)
Strangle a Loaf of Italian Bread by Denise Dietz (Five Star)
High Crimes on the Magical Plane by Kris Neri (Red Coyote Press)

The Bruce Alexander Award
(for a historical mystery set before 1950)

A TRACE OF SMOKE by Rebecca Cantrell (Forge)

Tears of Pearl by Tasha Alexander (Minotaur)
In a Gilded Cage by Rhys Bowen (Minotaur);
Freedom’s Fight by Gary Phillips (Parker Publishing)
Serpent in the Thorns by Jeri Westerson

The Panik Award
(for L.A.-based noir, honoring deceased LCC 2010 chairman Paul Anik)

DEATH WAS IN THE PICTURE by Linda L. Richards (St. Martin’s Press)

Cemetery Road, by Gar Anthony Haywood (Severn House)
Trust No One, by Gregg Hurwitz (St. Martin’s Press)
Boulevard, by Stephen J. Schwartz (Forge) 03/26/2010

The first Bouchercon I attended was in Pasadena, California in 1991. I only knew one or two people who were attending but I had been compiling a reference work on mystery fiction entitled DEADLY PLEASURES (never published) and I used that to introduce myself to mystery authors at the convention. I would ask them to check their entry and see if all the information was correct. (It wasn't until the next convention I went to that I was almost instantly embraced by mystery fandom -- Maggie Mason, Don Sandstrom, Leila Dobscha, Marv Lachman, etc.)

I remember one of the authors whom I met that first year was Conrad Haynes, a very young man with a three-book series featuring Professor Harry Bishop (BISHOP'S GAMBIT DECLINED, PERPETUAL CHECK and SACRIFICE PLAY). If he attended another Bouchercon after that I don't recall, but I do know that he fell off the radar and hadn't published a book since.

Fast forward to last year's Bouchercon in Indiana. I'm standing in the lobby of the hotel with a group of friends and someone introduces me to Dana Haynes, who lo and behold, published three books many years ago under the name Conrad Haynes. (He still looks pretty young, by the way.) His new book is called CRASHERS (St. Martin's, July, 2010), which is a thriller about the investigation surrounding a major plane crash in Portland, Oregon. I'm 200 pages into it and quite enjoying the experience. Full review in the next issue.

What amazes me about this situation is I can't recall another author coming back from an almost 20-year hiatus. I think Dana will do very well with CRASHERS, though, because it is very well written and plotted. 2/14/2010

I just heard the news that another giant in the mystery field has passed away. Dick Francis died at the age of 89. I know he had been frail for many years so this passing does not come as a surprise.

In my early years I read a mystery or a thriller from time to time --Harry Kemelman (at the request of my mother) and Alistair MacLean. But I read mostly mainstream fiction, biography and history. I would never have considered myself a mystery fan.

Along about 1972 I started frequenting a paperback exchange bookstore in Salt Lake City which was managed by Mary Lynn Galway (who proofreads DP). I happened to be in the store at the same time as another gentleman who worked in the same office that I did. I got involved in a three-way conversation in which this gentleman and Mary Lynn strongly recommended that I read some Dick Francis novels. So I did. I can even remember the first one I read -- it was entitled NERVE. I liked it enough to try another -- and another -- and another -- until I was hooked and had read all of Dick Francis' work to that point. Then I started looking around for similar reading material -- and thus a mystery fan was born. Thank you, Dick, for starting me on a road I've enjoyed immensely for almost 40 years. 2/14/2010

DP#60 went to the printer today. Hope to mail it by the end of the week (unlikely) or beginning of next week.

February 9, 2010

Some bad news and some good news. The bad news is that Robert B. Parker has passed away at age 77. He was not ill and his death was unexpected. He was found sitting at his desk. Source: Ali Karim

Now the good news -- from Larry Gandle. MWA has announced it nominees for the 2010 Edgar Awards. The ones of most interest to us are found below:

BEST NOVEL

THE MISSING by Tim Gautreaux (Random House - Alfred A. Knopf)
THE ODDS by Kathleen George (Minotaur Books)
THE LAST CHILD by John Hart (Minotaur Books)
MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH by Charlie Huston (Random House - Ballantine Books)
NEMESIS by Jo Nesbø, translated by Don Bartlett (HarperCollins)
A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO DIE by Malla Nunn (Simon & Schuster – Atria Books)

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR

THE GIRL SHE USED TO BE by David Cristofano (Grand Central Publishing)
STARVATION LAKE by Bryan Gruley (Simon & Schuster - Touchstone)
THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE by Heather Gudenkauf (MIRA Books)
A BAD DAY FOR SORRY by Sophie Littlefield (Minotaur Books – Thomas Dunne Books)
BLACK WATER RISING by Attica Locke (HarperCollins)
IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM by Stefanie Pintoff (Minotaur Books)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL

BURY ME DEEP by Megan Abbott (Simon & Schuster)
HAVANA LUNAR by Robert Arellano (Akashic Books)
THE LORD GOD BIRD by Russell Hill (Pleasure Boat Studio – Caravel Books)
BODY BLOWS by Marc Strange (Dundurn Press – Castle Street Mysteries)
THE HERRING-SELLER’S APPRENTICE by L.C. Tyler (Felony & Mayhem Press)

BEST FACT CRIME

COLUMBINE by Dave Cullen (Hachette Book Group - Twelve)
GO DOWN TOGETHER: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde by Jeff Guinn (Simon & Schuster)
THE FENCE: A Police Cover-Up Along Boston’s Racial Divide by Dick Lehr (HarperCollins)
PROVENANCE: How a Con Man and a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Art by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo (The Penguin Press)
VANISHED SMILE: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti (Random House - Alfred A. Knopf)

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL

TALKING ABOUT DETECTIVE FICTION by P.D. James (Random House - Alfred A. Knopf)
THE LINEUP: The World’s Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives edited by Otto Penzler (Hachette Book Group – Little, Brown and Company)
HAUNTED HEART: The Life and Times of Stephen King by Lisa Rogak (Thomas Dunne Books)
THE TALENTED MISS HIGHSMITH: The Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith by Joan Schenkar (St. Martin’s Press)
THE STEPHEN KING ILLUSTRATED COMPANION by Bev Vincent (Fall River Press)

BEST SHORT STORY

"Last Fair Deal Gone Down" by Ace Atkins, Crossroad Blues (Busted Flush Press)
"Femme Sole" by Dana Cameron, Boston Noir (Akashic Books)
"Digby, Attorney at Law" by Jim Fusilli, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine
"Animal Rescue" by Dennis Lehane, Boston Noir (Akashic Books
"Amapola" by Luis Alberto Urrea, Phoenix Noir (Akashic Books)

Good list this year. I wouldn't be surprised if 4 or 5 of the titles showed up on the Barry Award short lists.

January 19, 2010